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Dr. Matthew Mendel is a clinical psychologist licensed to practice in the states of North Carolina and Texas. He is a member in good standing of the American Psychological Association (APA), the American College of Forensic Psychology, the APA Division of Psychology and Law, the North Carolina Psychological Association (NCPA), and the NCPA Division of Professional Practice.

Dr. Mendel received a Bachelor’s Degree Cum Laude from Princeton University in 1984 and earned an M.A. in 1989 and a Ph.D. in 1992 in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan. He has been in private practice in North Carolina since 1995, with a specialization in the impact of childhood abuse and trauma. His private practice includes psychological assessment and therapy with children, families, and adults.

He is the author of The Male Survivor: Impact of Sexual Abuse(Sage Publications, 1995). He has authored numerous articles and presented talks at various conferences on the subject. Dr. Mendel conducts forensic psychological evaluations of adults in civil and criminal cases with a primary focus on evaluating the impact of childhood trauma, particularly sexual abuse, upon later functioning. He has been retained in approximately 160 such cases in seventeen states and in federal jurisdiction and have testified as an expert witness in the states of North Carolina, Arizona, Texas, Mississippi, California, Arkansas, and Wyoming.

Court Testimony

I have been involved in over 150 criminal and civil cases in ten states and in federal jurisdiction. I specialize in evaluating the impact of childhood trauma – particularly sexual abuse – upon men. In each case, I am able to convey effectively to attorneys, juries, and other interested parties how these experiences have affected that particular individual.

Forensic Psychology Services

Male survivors of childhood sexual abuse are generally reluctant to disclose about their victimization; no group of men is less likely to let others see their vulnerability than criminal defendants. With over twenty years of experience working with male survivors, I am able to help them lower their guard and tell about their childhood traumas and the impact they have had upon their lives.

Civil Cases

In recent years, several high-profile cases, including the Catholic Church, Boy Scouts, and Penn State University, have shone a light on the sexual abuse of male victims. In order to proceed with determining appropriate financial reparation to these victims, juries must first understand the impact of the sexual abuse. I am adept at conveying to juries and others how abuse affects its victims across broad areas of their lives.

Both through my writing and my appearances in court, I am able to connect with and communicate effectively with the jurors encharged with determining a defendant’s fate. In these cases, I write a mini-biography of an individual charged with a crime. By doing so, I help those who read my report or hear my testimony understand how his childhood — filled with tragedy and abuse — contributed to him developing into the adult he became.

Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Over the past 20 years, I have worked with over one hundred men who were sexually abused during childhood. These men often come to me feeling hopeless and lost. With my experience and expertise, I am generally able to instill a sense of hope and optimism quite quickly. While therapy to address the long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse is certainly a long and difficult process, the men with whom I work usually see dramatic improvement across virtually every area of their lives. It is enormously gratifying to see these men move from despair to optimism to success and joy.